august ❀ Lamina

Chapter 9

The nights sucked. I sat next to Lamina. It was late, but we were both still awake.

"We could escape." I said quietly. "You said you know how to climb. You could get out of this cage. Run away from the Capitol." I continued, looking over at her. Her eyes met mine and I couldnt help but look away.

"But—" She stopped herself, her cheeks becoming a bit rosy.

I looked over at her again. "What?" I asked.

"I'd get caught." She said quickly. "The peacekeepers would find me, I wouldn't be able to get away."

"Not if you got out of the city before morning." I told her. "I could distract the peacekeepers and you could get out. Leave the Capitol. They probably wouldnt notice until you were already far enough away to get—"

"No!" She cut me off, raising her voice.

I furrowed my eyebrows, concerned. She didn't seem like the type to snap at someone. Although, maybe I deserved it.

"Sorry..." She said quietly. "I can't escape. I... I won't."

"You won't even try?" I asked softly.

She shook her head.

"Oh... okay." I said gently. "Then... we'll go to the games, I guess."

"I'm tired." She murmured. "And hungry."

"Well I think I've pissed off my mentor so
much that I'd be surprised if he brought me anymore food." I chuckled to lighten the mood. The truth was, I was also starving and exhausted. But talking to Lamina felt way better than sleeping.

She offered a weak smile. "I think I cried too much talking to my mentor." She said in return.

I pursed my lips. "If I do get more food, I'll let you have some." I told her.

She looked at me. "You really dont have to."

"Nah, it's no big deal." I shrugged.

We chatted some more, although I was only kind of listening. I was just so damn exhausted for obvious reasons. Sleeping wasn't easy, and I definitely wasn't sleeping well even when I did manage to get some shut-eye.

The truck started to slow down, indicating we were almost back to the enclosure where we'd be sleeping again. "What do you think's gonna happen tomorrow?" I asked Lamina.

"That shiny capitol boy told me that we're lookin' at the arena." Velvereen spoke up, answering my question.

I nodded. "Can't they just send us into the arena and get this over with already?" I questioned frustratedly, crossing my arms. "No need to be even more cruel to the kids your murdering."

"I'm sure the Capitol couldn't care less how cruel they are to us," the girl from four, Coral, said.

The truck came to a full stop and we were tossed into the cage yet again. I hit my head pretty hard on a rock.

I yelped. "Agh," I grunted. My hands immediately moved to my head. My vision swimmed, turning blurrier and blurrier, until I couldn't see anything at all.

Breathing hurt. Why was breathing so hard? I was panting short quick breaths, not enough. Why couldn't I breathe? And why couldn't I see?

I felt nauseous. Everything hurt. I was blind. I couldn't breathe.

What the hell is wrong with me?!

I felt a hand on my shoulder. There was a voice, but it felt like they were talking underwater a million miles away.